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change in circumstances, other documents, such as a completed and signed Self-Employment Income Report form(s) (SEIRF) or bookkeeping records, are sufficient verification. If a Program Add request is made on a case with self-employment income, use the existing previously verified information, instead of re-verifying it, if all of the following are true: • A recent determination was made. • SEIRFs or bookkeeping records were used. • No significant change has been reported by the individual. • The business has not filed taxes in the meantime. Note It is not necessary to collect copies of supportive verification, such as receipts from sales and purchases. However, verification can be requested when the information given is in question (see SECTION 20.4.1 QUESTIONABLE ITEMS INTRODUCTION). If requesting verification, workers must document the reason for the request in case comments. 15.6.7 Self-Employment Hours Count the time a self-employed person puts in on business-related activities involving planning, selling, advertising, and management along with time put in on production of goods and providing of services as hours of work. Verification of self-reported monthly hours worked is not required unless questionable (see SECTION 20.4 QUESTIONABLE ITEMS). 15.6.8 Backdated Months Self-employment income is averaged over the number of months the business has been in operation in a tax year or anticipated based on an average of SEIRFs. It is not based on exact income for a single month, as that does not take into consideration seasonal work and fluctuating income for the business. If an individual had applied in a backdated month, eligibility would not be determined on the basis of one month of self-employment income; instead, eligibility would be based on an average of at least three months of income. When a self-employed applicant or member requests backdated benefits for health care, workers must do the following: 1. Average self-employment income for the application month forward (to determine ongoing eligibility). 2. Determine eligibility for the backdated months as if the applicant or member had applied in the earliest backdated month requested: a. If income is reported via federal taxes, the tax filing year has not changed, and no significant change in circumstances has occurred, the same averaged income and expenses from the tax forms can be used for ongoing and backdated eligibility. b. In all other scenarios, workers must consider SEIRFs and the average to be counted if that earliest month was the application month. If estimates would have been used, but the month has passed, actual information should be provided on the SEIRFs. 3. Consider any significant changes that occurred during the backdated months that would require a new average to be calculated for the second and/or third month. If there has not been a significant change or a change in the tax filing year during the backdated months, the average calculated for the earliest month can be used throughout the backdated months.